HC asks: How would you describe time? Last week I went a bit esoteric, musing that time is the feature of the universe that makes forgiveness necessary. Now let's try something a bit more basic. Time is the feature of the universe that we measure with clocks. As banal as that statement may be, it is possibly the only statement about time one can make with certainty. Time allows us to decide which events come before which other events and how rapidly or slowly the second followed after the first. And since time is … [Read more...] about Science Reader Question: What’s a Few Minutes Between Friends?
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Science Reader Question: Time and Forgiveness
HC asks: How would you describe time? In Groundhog Day Phil Connors relives the same 24 hours continually, providing him limitless opportunities to correct his mistakes and live out the perfect day. It's a tantalizing fantasy, an opportunity not to act without consequence but to select precisely those consequences we desire while removing any possibility of regret. While our spinning planet and its cyclical orbit give our lives a semblance of repetition, we can only experience each moment once. Effects follow causes; … [Read more...] about Science Reader Question: Time and Forgiveness
Science in Review: “Prediction is hard, especially about the future”
SS asks: What makes statistical modeling different from, say, new age methods of trying to predict the future? If you live on the east coast of the United States and paid any attention to the news in the past week, you couldn't get away from statistical models. There are US models & European models, all trying to answer the same questions: How much snow will fall, in what cities, and when? I live north of Pittsburgh, on the outer edge of this particular storm's path. One day the models said the storm was tracking … [Read more...] about Science in Review: “Prediction is hard, especially about the future”
Science Reader Question: The Human Touch
What makes statistical modeling different from, say, new age methods of trying to predict the future? Foretelling the birth of a child to a young woman used to be the domain of angels, but a few years ago the statistical models at Target started making those predictions too. When a teenager received diaper coupons in the mail, her father was outraged, then chagrined when it turned out Target knew more about his daughter than he did. … [Read more...] about Science Reader Question: The Human Touch
Science Reader Question: So You’d Like to Win a $1.5B Jackpot
SS asks: What makes statistical modeling different from, say, new age methods of trying to predict the future? When the multi-state lottery jackpots reach staggering 10 digit totals, someone in my office will organize a lottery pool. And because I'm the closest thing we have to a statistician, they hope I'll pick the numbers. The request is made with a dismissive chuckle, yet underlined with hope that I really can crack the lottery code. Unfortunately, expecting statistics to tell you winning numbers is asking the … [Read more...] about Science Reader Question: So You’d Like to Win a $1.5B Jackpot